Many donors look at their charitable efforts and wonder: Does the nonprofit I’m supporting really have an impact? What can I do to make my philanthropy more effective? Being an effective philanthropist doesn’t depend on the amount of time or money you give, but rather upon how you approach your giving.

Here are ten steps to philanthropy that makes a difference:

Determine why you’re giving and what outcomes you want to achieve. The reasons individuals give might include compassion, gratitude, tradition, religion, status, peer pressure, tax advantage, guilt, moral duty, ego, reputation, setting an example for or passing values to family, creating a legacy, and more. You may seek to help others in need, find a cure or solution to a problem, advance a cause, or preserve something you believe is valuable.

Develop a strategy to achieve your goals. As with any investment, you must develop a strategy to achieve the desired return. Knowing why you’re giving and what outcomes you want to achieve are the first two building blocks of a philanthropic strategy.

Volunteer your time. Some people have more time than money. Others can contribute both. Volunteering for a charity or cause important to you can help you learn more about the work and achieve even greater impact.

Research before you give. With over 1.4 million nonprofits in the U.S., 500,000 of which were created since 2000, it takes more than a glossy brochure or a snappy website to tell you which ones are achieving real outcomes and which are not. Doing your homework helps you determine which charities are worth your investment of time and money.

Give boldly in your lifetime. People rarely donate so much money or time to charity in their lifetimes that they can no longer take care of themselves or their loved ones. Many have capacity to give far more than they do without sacrificing the quality of their lives or that of their descendents.

Go deep, not wide. Focus your giving and volunteering on fewer charities where you can make a difference rather than spreading them thinly across many beneficiaries.

Add charity to your estate plan. Your will is the last chance you have to pass on more than money to your heirs, shape your legacy, and help create a better world after you’re gone.

Evaluate and change.Many people donate to the same charities year after year without learning whether any real progress has been made towards achieving their desired outcomes. Evaluation of your strategy and a willingness to change direction are essential.

Start now! Your community, nation and world need you today. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see results in your life and in the lives of others.

For many people, philanthropy runs on the fumes of their lives, rather than being part of the engine. Following these steps to effective philanthropy will not only help you achieve better outcomes for the causes or organizations you care about, it will help you find the joy, meaning and satisfaction of philanthropy.

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